Layers
by selenehekate
Summary: Lysander loves Lucy more than anything else in the world. But does he truly know her?
1. Awake

_Awake_

He felt like it was all a dream. Like he was just imagining the inexplicable warmth that had grabbed ahold of his heart and gently kissed it. As though the heat that now drove the blood through his veins - that gave him a new purpose - was just a figment of his mind and nothing more. He hoped the fire would soon die out - that, if nothing else, it would prove to be temporary insanity and nothing more.

But no, it wasn't. It was love. Love that filled every nook and cranny of his being and had taken up residence quite firmly in his soul. Love that blinded his mind and rose-tinted his reality. Love that infected his bloodstream and made his jaded temperament grow ill. There was no denying it: Lysander was deeply in love with Lucy Weasley.

It was shock, surely, that made him deny it for so long. She was his friend. She was his _best_ friend, even, apart from James and Lorcan. She meant the world to him as a _friend_... but apparently, that wasn't all. Without his knowledge, Lysander's thoughts of Lucy Weasley had shifted and transformed. No longer was she Little Lucy, the quirky niece of his mum's friend. In his mind, she was so much more than that. Sure, she was still his best friend, but now... now she was the woman he loved, the woman he would do anything to be with. Now she was the one he craved. Without his knowledge, she had become his everything.

But she didn't know. How could she? He'd never displayed any outward signs of attraction _before._ Of course she'd be oblivious to his change of heart. And that was for the better, really; it would be more affective to make her fall in love with him first before he revealed his feelings to her... right?

He wasn't sure. All he knew for certain was that no longer did his newfound feelings for Lucy Weasley seem unreal. Instead, everything before his romantic epiphany felt as though it were false. It was like his whole life he'd been dreaming - constantly dreaming - and now he was awake. At last, he'd left behind the dreamworld and opened his eyes to the vision before him, to his beautiful best friend.

Yes, Lysander would give anything to win her heart, absolutely anything. And so that's what he set out to do.

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_This new story was written for the Alphabet Challenge. Here's the first chapter, the prologue, even. I should have the next chapter up within a few days. This story will fit within the canon I have developed regarding the NextGen characters, so if you like this story, then please go and check out my other NextGen fics! I hope you enjoyed it; I know that I sure as hell had fun writing this! Please review it and tell me what you think! I'd love some criticism. Thanks!_

_Cheers!_

_-Selene_


	2. Brown

_Brown_

Somehow, it had escaped his notice that Lucy's eyes were brown. He wasn't quite sure _how_ he'd never realized it before; he certainly saw her often enough that her eye color should have been engrained upon his memory. Yet it wasn't until after he understood the depths of his feelings for Lucy that he began to truly _see_ her.

That was how he noticed her eyes were brown. Not a dark brown though, but a warm, almost creamy brown that looked like melted chocolate caramel. They held deep within them compassion and a light amusement, and they were the most mesmerizing things he'd ever seen. Lysander wanted nothing more than for her to just gaze at him for hours on end. If only he could just watch her eyes forever...

"Lucy," he said, catching up to her in the Ravenclaw common room one night in late October.

The sixth year girl turned around, a small smile dancing on her face. "Lysander," she said, pulling him in for a hug. "I feel like I've hardly seen you this week. Fifth year keeping you busy?"

He shrugged, a grin on his face. "You know I've got to start preparing for those OWLs."

"I don't suppose your brother is doing the same?"

Lysander made a face. "Certainly not. You and I both know he and James won't start studying until April, maybe even not until May."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Ridiculous."

"Completely," Lysander agreed. He bit his lip then, pausing before he spoke once more. "Lucy... sorry, do you mind if I give you some advice?"

The older girl raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what about?"

"Oh, nothing too serious, don't you worry," Lysander said, cracking a smile. His heart was pounding, but he pressed forward anyway. "I just think you should wear more green."

Lucy blinked, taken aback by his odd request. "_Green_? Why? Am I about to start dating a Slytherin?"

_Oh, I hope not_, Lysander thought grimly. Outwardly, though, he laughed. "Merlin, no! Do you want to start a Weasley family war?" he chuckled again. "No, I just think it's a pretty color. It goes well with your complexion. You know, brings out your eyes, and all."

Once again, Lucy paused, slightly stunned by his request. "My eyes? But they're brown."

"I know," Lysander said, backing away slightly. "But green goes well with brown."

"I see. And _why_, exactly, are you telling me this?"

Feigning nonchalance, Lysander rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. You _know_ your mother can't wait for you to find a suitor. At least if you bring your eyes out on your own, she'll think you're making an effort and won't try and set you up on bad blind dates."

Lucy let out a soft chuckle. "Fair enough. "

"I'm just trying to help your mother in her matchmaking quest, is all," Lysander said, a perfect imitation of a smile plastered on his face. _Just as long as I'm the only suitor she chooses in the end_, he thought.

* * *

_Ta-da! Here's the next bit of this story. I should have the next chapter up within a few days. I hope you enjoyed it; I know that I sure as hell had fun writing this! Please review it and tell me what you think! I'd love some criticism. Thanks!_

_Cheers!_

_-Selene_


	3. Cautious

_Cautious_

She was perhaps the most cautious person he knew, but that wasn't a recent development. Ever since they were children whenever his family would join the Weasley's on holidays, every single child would dive straight into the bowls of candy, never once suspecting that something wasn't right. Only Lucy would hold back, examining each piece slowly and methodically before she placed it primly in her mouth and savored the sweet taste.

As a result, Lucy Weasley could proudly say that she was the only member of the Weasley clan whom George had never tested his products on. At one point in time, every other family member had been caught unaware and experienced embarrassing and grueling side effects. All except cautious little Lucy.

So it was hardly a surprise that Lucy was cautious about other things as well. She shied away from breaking every and any rule, and she feared getting into trouble with authority figures.

It was for this reason that Lysander failed to get her to sneak up to the astronomy tower past curfew one warm November evening.

"Come on, Lucy," he'd pled, trying to coax her out of the common room. "I know a secret passageway there, all right? James showed me. There's no _way_ we'll get caught."

"Ly, I just don't see the point," Lucy said, shutting the muggle novel she'd been reading. "I mean, the tower is out of bounds this late in the evening. Why can't we just go up there tomorrow morning?"

"Lucy, the tower is pretty at_ night_, not in the morning. There'd be no point in going tomorrow morning."

The girl's lips curled into a small smirk. "I know it's pretty at night. I _have_ taken astronomy classes before, Lysander."

"So then you know it's not the same during the day."

"I know that you can't seem to find a better reason to sneak up to a _forbidden_ area other then that it's pretty," she said, giving a small shrug. "And if you can't come up with a better reason then clearly it's an adventure that can wait, Lysander."

"But-"

She laughed and shook her head. "Sorry. But my final answer is no."

"Lucy-"

"If you really want to go so badly, why not sneak up there with James and Lorcan? I know they both _love_ to go on useless and asinine adventures. I'm sure they'd be more than eager to tag along."

Lysander snorted. "Of course they would. And then they'd try to pull some sort of stupid prank. You _know_ they wouldn't care about how pretty the area is. Not like you would."

But despite his compliment, Lucy just tutted. "Sorry, Ly. But it's always best to air on the side of caution."

_It might be for the best,_ Lysander thought, _but it's terribly irritating._ Of course, Lucy Weasley would not be the same girl he loved if she weren't overtly cautious. And he wouldn't trade her for the world.

* * *

_Here's the next chapter with more Lucy/Lysander goodness! I hope you enjoyed it; I know that I sure as hell had fun writing this! Please review it and tell me what you think! I'd love some criticism. Thanks!_

_Cheers!_

_-Selene_


	4. Damaged

**IMPORTANT AN: Just to let you know, in between the last chapter and this one is the time in which my oneshot A Challenge of Epic Proportions occurs. The events from that story are referenced here, however it's not necessary to read that to figure out what's going on. If you'd _like_ to read that, though, I'd certainly love for you to give me some feedback. :) Anyway, now on to this chapter!**_  
_

* * *

_Damaged_

It took a few weeks of knowing that he loved her for Lysander to see past the "perfection" of Lucy Weasley. She was so brilliant and stunning and kindhearted that he was quick to overlook the flaws that permeated her being. Simply put, he refused to acknowledge what Lucy deemed to be true: he refused to believe she was damaged.

"But I am," she whispered one January afternoon. The pair were studying underneath one of Hogwarts' giant majestic trees in the dwindling sunlight. Somehow, the conversation had turned to Lucy and what she considered to be her biggest flaw. "I'm damaged. So damaged."

"Lucy-"

"I spent years hiding who I truly was from my family," Lucy continued with a shake of her head. "I was so terrified to tell them my goals, my dreams... that I wanted to be a writer instead of some dull Ministry official like my father had planned. I lived in fear of being discovered and... and I can't... I can't bring myself to stop hiding who I am sometimes, Ly." She took a deep, shaky breath. "Sometimes the mask comes on without my even realizing I'd stepped foot on stage. Sometimes I don't know who I am - whether I'm Rosencrantz, or Guildenstern... or maybe I'm neither. Maybe I'm Hamlet."

Lysander winced. "You lost me with the Rosen... Rosen guy."

But Lucy ignored him and simply continued on. "If I can't even figure out who I think I am, how can I expect anyone to ever love me? How I can expect my ridiculous mother's attempts to try and set me up with someone to ever work?"

"Lucy, you're a fool."

"I... what?"

"I said you're a fool," Lysander said, reaching out to grasp her hand. "So what if you're a little damaged? We all are, in the end. There isn't a soul on this planet who hasn't been mangled by life at some point or another. So what if you don't always know who you are? Just the fact that you've recognized that means you're one step closer to finding out."

"Ly-"

He shook his head. "You're an amazing girl, Lucy Weasley. And anyone who can't love you despite your faults - because you're _damaged_ - doesn't deserve you in the first place."

She sniffled, before lunging forward and drawing him in for a hug. "You're an amazing friend, Lysander. You know that?"

"Of course I do," Lysander said with a small laugh. "I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

She pulled back with a smile. "Perhaps that's who I am, then. I'm your friend, and you're mine. You can be my Rosencrantz, and I your Guildenstern, and together we shall define each other."

"Good," Lysander said, with a short nod. As long as they stayed friends... Then he paused. "Now, who exactly are Rosenman and Buildenstern?"

* * *

_I hope you liked this chapter! I love writing Lucy/Lysander drabbles; they're so much fun! Just a quick note, a Severus/Hermione oneshot that I wrote called Patience, My Dear has recently one first place in the Freestyle 1000 event of the Hogwarts Olympics! I'm rather pleased, so check that out if you want! I hope you like this chapter, though. Please review and tell me what you think!_

_Cheers!_

_-Selene_


	5. Embarrassed

_Embarrassed_

Another thing that it took Lysander a few weeks to notice were the two red circles that frequently crept up to cover Lucy's cheeks. Her blush was always instantaneous - it never took more than a few seconds for that bright red color to coat her cheeks, as though an artist had taken a paintbrush and dabbed two splotches of red unevenly on her face.

Lysander was immensely puzzled by this. He'd never noticed her frequent blushes before. Were they something new? Was she ill? Or was he simply unobservant? Confused, he decided to ask her.

"Why do you blush so often, Lucy?"

Instantly, that deep red hue fanned out across her cheeks as her eyes snapped to his own. "What?"

"See, you're doing it now!" he pointed out with a small smile. "You're blushing. Why?"

"Well, why not? It's perfectly normal to blush when one's _blushing_ habits are being inquired about," Lucy said with a roll of her eyes.

"But why do you do it so often?"

"It's not like I have control over it, Ly," Lucy said with a roll of her eyes. "It just happens."

"No, I know. I understand the mechanics of _blushing_, thanks," he said, shaking his head. "But what I don't understand is what _triggers_ it. Normally, people blush because of illness, or heat, or embarrassment..." he trailed off, his eyes widening. "That's not it, is it? You're not _embarrassed,_ are you?"

"Flustered is a better word for it," Lucy conceded. "And since being flustered generally _leads_ to embarrassment-"

"But why?" Lysander asked, his brow furrowing. "You're so smart and articulate... Why would you get flustered so often?"

"Just because I'm book smart, that doesn't mean my people skills are up to par, Lysander," Lucy admitted slowly. "In fact, if I had the option, I'd honestly rather be a recluse - a literate Boo Radley. I'm not one for entertaining others."

"Who's Boo Radley?"

She ignored him, however, and pressed on. "I naturally blush because it's my body's way of calming myself down when I'm caught off guard or embarrassed."

He nodded slowly, his eyes cast to the ground. "I suppose that makes sense. I'm sorry for bringing it up - you know, causing you to blush and all. I just wanted an explanation."

"Of course. _I'm_ just sorry my blushing is so unseemly," Lucy said with a small grin.

Lysander, however, just took a step towards her, a contemplative look upon his face. "I don't know about that," he said after a moment. "I think it's quite nice." He grabbed a hold of one of her dark red curls, causing her face to flame up once more. "It goes wonderfully with your hair," he muttered, before pushing past her and walking away.

* * *

_Ta-da! Here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long for me to update this. I've recently entered into a new relationship, which means I've been distracted by nauseatingly romantic comments and adorable gestures. I'm certainly not complaining. :) Please review it and tell me what you think! I'd love some criticism. Thanks!_

_Cheers!_

_-Selene_


	6. Factual

_Factual_

Lucy Weasley was incredibly factual. Everything that she did - every decision and assumption she made - was always seeped strongly in the facts. She liked to make sure she was understanding things based on reality and not perception, and so she paid a great amount of attention to her surroundings and the actions of others. This was something that Lysander learned the hard way...

"Mum keeps telling me I should ask Evan Riley out. You know, that seventh year Slytherin with the black hair? She keeps saying he's fit and has nice eyes." Lucy shook her head. "I don't know, though. He's not overtly appealing to me. What do you think?"

Lysander wrinkled his nose. "About Evan Riley? He's a little... snakey. There's a reason he's a Slytherin, you know."

"I'm well aware. I just meant what do you think of him physically?"

Lysander balked. "_Physically_? I don't know... he's fine, I guess. A bit too tall."

"True," Lucy considered. "He does has nice eyes, though. Right?"

"I don't know! Why the hell are you asking me?" His breathing was coming quicker, his eyes searching her face for some sort of clue as to what she was thinking. Did she actually _like_ Evan Riley?

"Well you... you know," she said, a blush beginning to slip onto her cheeks. "You tend to swing... that way, so I just thought-"

"Wait," Lysander said, horror rising within him. "You think I'm... I'm gay?"

"Aren't you?"

"No!" he protested. Oh, this was bad, so bad. Not only did Lucy think of him as a friend, but she thought of him as a _gay_ friend. He had _no _chance with her. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, I don't know!" she said, the red shade on her face darkening even more. "You said you thought the color green went well with my eyes."

"It does!"

"You wanted to go up to the astronomy tower at night because it's pretty."

"It is!"

"You think my blush matches my hair!"

"I'm sorry, am I not allowed to compliment my friend without arousing questions about my sexuality?"

"I just..." she trailed off, examining him with wide eyes. "I'm sorry. I just thought... You never talk about the girls you like. You've _never_ dated. You talk about what colors look nice on me... All of the facts pointed towards you being gay!"

"Well I'm not!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Yes, I'm very sure," Lysander said with a groan. _If only she knew just who I was attracted to_.

"All right! All right, I'm sorry." Lucy paused, before wincing slightly. She bit her lip. "You won't hold it against me, will you? My assumption?"

Lysander sighed. His life had just gotten much harder. Now, he not only had to convince Lucy to love him, but he also had to convince her that he loved _women._ "No," he said softly. "No, I'd never hold it against you."

* * *

_____I know it's been awhile in between updates for this, but I've been rather busy. I hope you all like this chapter, and I hope you enjoy where this drabble collection is heading! This was a particularly fun one to write._

_____I apologize for my brief absence from the site over the month of November, but I'm back now! I should be updating two of my Severus/Hermione stories soon, so if you follow those, check back soon. Thank you in advance for the reviews! I really appreciate them! I'm looking forward to continuing this story; I have some really great ideas for it, and I hope you'll stay tuned!_

_Thank you so much!_

_-Selene_


	7. Giddy

_Giddy_

"Lysander! Lysander!" Lucy called out as she tore into the common room, searching for her friend.

"Here! I'm here," he said, quickly standing from his spot by the fire. "What is it, Lucy? What's wro- oomph!"

He was cut off as Lucy suddenly launched herself at him, throwing her arms around her friend's neck. "I did it!" she said, as she pulled back from the hug. "Today during the NEWT prep study hour. I finished it!"

"Finished it?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Finished what?"

"The epic poem!" Lucy said, a wide grin firmly in place on her face.

"You did?" he said, his eyes widening. For a couple of years now, Lucy's ambition had been to write an epic poem describing the events of the second Voldemort war. She wanted to go into the history of each of the main players, and the psychology of the decisions they made. She'd been working on it constantly, desperate to let the words she knew were there escape from her. And now, apparently, she was finally done.

"I did," she said, throwing her head back with joy. "Oh, Merlin, I did!" she laughed, a loud and happy laugh. "Seven hundred and thirty-four pages," she said, resting her eyes on Lysander once more. "Oh, sweet Circe it feels nice to be done."

"I bet," Lysander said with a chuckle. "And I suppose your writing is flawless, as usual."

"I suspect it would make Homer proud," Lucy said with a shrug. She let out a giggle. "Oh, we must _celebrate_!"

"Of course! Of course, we definitely should!" He laughed once more, pulling Lucy into his arms. "You finished... I can't believe it. And you know what? I don't think I've ever seen you so giddy before."

"It's hard not to be giddy when I'm so undeniably happy," Lucy said with a chuckle. "I'm done!"

"That's an amazing accomplishment, Lucy. It truly is."

"Thank you." She broke the hug, pulling away from him with a grin. "Now onto my next project."

He couldn't help but sputter. "_Next_ project? You have a _next_ project?"

"Of course I do, Lysander! I want to be a _writer_ for a living, after all. That means I have to actually, you know, write," she said, amusement present in her voice.

"All right, then," he said with a roll of his eyes. "And what's this next project going to be?"

She shrugged. "No idea." The smile was still on her face, though, as she threw her arms around Lysander's waist and pulled him close to her. His heart melted as he buried his face in her hair. "But you know what?" she said, drawing his attention back to her. "I'm excited to find out."


End file.
